If you’re getting ready to install a heat-pump system in your Fort Wayne home, you’ll ensure peak performance and optimal home comfort by first prepping your home. Prepping the home involves lowering its heating and cooling load so that you can install a smaller-sized system and/or the unit can operate efficiently, as well as addressing ductwork factors and following proper installation guidelines.
The home’s heating and cooling load
Every home has specific requirements, based on the home’s heating and cooling loads. It's imperative to select a heat pump that can handle those loads, and in so doing, provide comfortable heating and cooling for your home. In most homes, however, there's plenty of opportunity to lower the home’s heating and cooling load by addressing factors that affect heat loss and heat gain. This can allow you to select a smaller heat pump, and thus save money and energy. Factors include:
- The home’s insulation
- How much the home’s exterior shell leaks
- The efficiency of windows
- The presence and efficiency of the home’s air barrier
- Heat generated from indoor appliances, lighting and so forth
Upgrading insulation and sealing leaks will keep more heated air inside during winter and keep heated air outside during summer, resulting in a better-performing heat pump year-round.
Installation and ductwork factors
Prepping your home for your new heat-pump system should also involve ensuring proper installation procedures and addressing the ductwork. Proper installation guidelines include:
- Installing the outdoor unit so that it’s out of the direct line of sun and shielded from winds
- Testing airflow through the air handler
- Measuring the refrigerant charge
When evaluating ductwork for potential issues, the HVAC contractor should consider these basic rules:
- Shorter duct runs ensure fewer conduction losses, a process whereby conditioned air in the ducts loses energy to the alternately cooler or warmer surrounding air, depending on the season.
- The installer should apply insulation to ducts located in areas of the home that don’t receive conditioned air.
- Ducts should also be tested for final air leakage. If the ducts leak by more than 5 percent, they’ll need to be sealed.
- Every room in the home should contain a supply register for maximum comfort and system efficiency.
At Hartman Brothers Heating & Air Conditioning, Inc., we’re happy to answer questions about heat pump systems. We've served greater Fort Wayne as a family-owned and operated company since 1963.
Our goal is to help educate our customers in New Haven, Indiana and surrounding Fort Wayne area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems). For more information about Heat Pump Systems and other HVAC topics, download our free Home Comfort Resource guide.
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